Six Sigma is a process improvement approach. Six Sigma was invented by Motorola way back in 1985. This approach has stood the test of time and is still widely used by organizations even after 35 years of its invention.
This process improvement methodology can be used in any industry. The focus of Six Sigma is to improve processes to save money for organizations. Because of this reason, more and more companies use this approach. Some companies formally implement it, while some others use this for process improvement in an informal way.
Learning and mastering this approach gives a definite employment advantage.
Six Sigma certification
If you are looking forward to learning Six Sigma, then you will see that a large number of companies teach this methodology. It becomes challenging to know which organization should you use for learning and your Six Sigma certification.
Here are some of the big names in this field:
- The American Society for Quality (ASQ)
- International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC)
- Various Universities
- Online Courses
Which Six Sigma certification is best?
When you have to decide which certification you should choose, then you should first answer these questions?
1. Do you intend to use Six Sigma in your current organization? If so, will your company arrange in-house training?
In my opinion, this is the best option. In this, the organization arranges the training for a group of employees. This training could be conducted by an external instructor or by an in-house Master Black Belt.
The training is conducted in phases, followed by the project work. For example, a Black Belt training will be in four phases of 5 days each. There is a three-week gap between each phase, when participants complete the project assignment. This way, by the end of 4 months, participants get the Black Belt certification and would have already completed one improvement project.
The problem with this approach is that most organizations do not want to spend this much time.
2. Most people do not have the above choice. They want to learn and get certified at your own cost and time. They do this to upgrade their skill to improve their employment opportunities. This that you will need to go for independent certification.
For this, two certifications are globally recognized.
- The American Society for Quality (ASQ)
- International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC)
The Most Recognized Six Sigma Certification: ASQ or IASSC
What about those guaranteed certificates?
Some organizations charge much less (less than $100), as compared to ASQ and IASSC and provide a 100% guarantee that you will pass their internal exam. You might be thinking, why not get that certificate?
Sure! Go ahead with that.
Believe me, if some hires you based on your Six Sigma certification, that person would be aware of the standard of these certificates. In the end, a certificate means nothing. I mean nothing. What organizations pay their employees is for the knowledge and their ability to apply that knowledge in the organization.
Conclusion:
To summarize, if your company is arranging in-house training and expect you to complete a project during the training, that is "Gold."
Else, check if you meet the ASQ qualification criteria, and go for the ASQ certification. We support by providing very affordable training to pass the ASQ Six Sigma exams.
If the above two options do not work for you, then go for the IASSC certification. This is also a well-recognized certificate.